1. Field of the Invention
An aspect of the present invention relates to a wireless network apparatus and an authentication method of the same, and more particularly, to a wireless network apparatus and an authentication method that reduces power consumption when authentication is conducted.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of communication and network technologies, network environments have shifted from wired networks, such as coaxial-cable or optical-cable networks, to the wireless networks using signals of different frequency bands. Accordingly, wireless terminals (hereinafter, referred to as “wireless network apparatuses”) each comprising a wireless interface for wireless communications, and processing a variety of information to thereby conduct a special function, have been developed. To comply with this development, wireless network technologies have appeared to enable these wireless network apparatuses to efficiently communicate with each other via wireless networks.
Currently, there are two types of existing wireless networks: an infrastructure mode wireless network and an ad-hoc mode wireless network.
FIG. 1 illustrates an infrastructure mode wireless network. FIG. 2 illustrates an ad-hoc mode wireless network. As shown in FIG. 1, an existing wireless network 10, operable in an infrastructure mode typically includes a distribution system 11, which serves as a backbone Ethernet-based network that supports servers 12A-12N and one or more bridges or routers (not shown) to link with other networks, including, for example, the Internet, and one or more control modules, known as wireless Access Points (APs) 13 arranged at a designated location in the wireless network, each supporting wireless communication with a number of wireless terminals, also known as “wireless network apparatuses” 14A-14N within its transmission range and providing access to the distribution system 11. The wireless AP 13 is provided to access network resources, via the distribution system 11 such as the Internet, while the wireless network apparatuses 14A-14N are provided to communicate with the wireless AP 130, via wireless links, as specified by standard communication protocols, such as, for example, IEEE 802.11(a), (b) and/or (g) standards for a wireless LAN. Each of the wireless AP 13 and the wireless network apparatuses 14A-14N is also equipped with a wireless interface provided to perform all functions necessary to transmit and receive information in accordance with IEEE 802.11(a), (b) and/or (g) standards for a wireless LAN. Wireless network apparatuses 14A-14N can share information and access each other in an authenticated manner, via the wireless AP 13. The wireless AP 13 can, in turn, authenticate conforming wireless terminals 14A-14N with the authorized information transmitted, via wireless links.
In the ad-hoc mode wireless network, data may be transceived directly between the wireless network apparatuses 14A-14N that belong to a single wireless network, without the need of an Access Point (AP) 11. There is no infrastructure or structure to the wireless network. Usually, one or more network apparatuses 14A-14N can exchange bi-directional traffic.
In the case of the infrastructure mode wireless network, an access point (AP) 11 is provided to authenticate a wireless network apparatus that desires to become part of the wireless network. As an example, the authentication may be made based on the Media Access Control (MAC) address allocated to the wireless network apparatus. The MAC address is a hardware address used to identify each of the wireless network apparatuses, which is applied to an Ethernet-based network and set when the concerned wireless network apparatus is manufactured.
However, the authentication based on the MAC address of the wireless network apparatus is only possible when the wireless network apparatus is powered on. As a result, this increased the power consumption of the wireless network apparatus.
Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2004-0053992 discloses a method for supporting the mobility of a wireless Local Area network (LAN) terminal in order to ensure that the wireless LAN terminal may move from one access point to another access point when an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) data line is used as a communication line between a switching system and several access points. However, the invention is directed to maintaining a uniform quality of sound when a wireless LAN terminal moves from a basic service set of one access point to a basic service set of another service set. As such, there is a need for a method to reduce the power consumption of a wireless LAN terminal.